In the Old Testament, when they see the glory of the coming kingdom, they often see a temple, or a house, and they see it terms of natural priesthood; but we see the spiritual realities, what those things signify. In Ezekiel 10:1-2, angels appear and they're in white linen; in Daniel 10:5, an angel appeared to Daniel, and he was clothed with white linen. We see also, in Leviticus 6:6, when it comes to the high priest, that the high priest had a particular role in relationship to standing in the presence of God, and God gave instructions; so we're going to look at the instructions that were given on the clothing of the high priest, and you'll see why shortly. The high priests, and the priesthood, all of the sons who served the high priest, all had to be clothed in white linen. No white linen meant that you can't go near the presence of God; so to function in their priesthood, they were required to have white linen. Every time you see an angel, it's white linen. You'll see later on, various occasions of white linen; and every time it's white linen, it's referring to a particular kind of supernatural garment or clothing, that represents glory and honour, and rank and stature in the coming kingdom.
When Jesus was transfigured in Mark 9:3, it says: His robes became brilliant or dazzling white, whiter than anyone could make it. His garments… when the glory began to manifest, His countenance changed. His body changed, His garments changed, and He appeared in white linen - white clothing, which was brilliant white. The white garments, the white linen, referred to a supernatural clothing, a supernatural garment, which is needed for us to go in and out of heaven, and into the earth. Right now, we access heaven only in our spirit, by faith. When we have the white garments, referring to the resurrection body and resurrection glory, then we can access the realm of heaven; and walk in the realm of the earth as well. At the moment we can only do that in our spirit; and so, by our spiritual senses, we can access the presence of God. In our spirit, we're connected to Him. But this is something completely different. This is actually the overwhelming of our body, and the clothing, with an ability now to literally move in and out of dimensions.
A second thing I want to mention then, by way of introduction, is the white garments that are referred to are not the same as the free gift of righteousness.
Matthew 16:27 - “He will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, rewarding each man or every man according to his works”.
Revelation 19:7-8 - “let us be glad, and rejoice, and give honour to Him, or give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. And to her was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.”
Jesus says He will reward us, at His coming. In Revelations 19, it's talking about one of the greatest events that will take place in the future, in history, and that's called the ‘marriage supper of the lamb’. It's when Jesus, the bridegroom, meets with His bride, and it says there: “let us be glad and rejoice, and give glory to Him, and give Him all the honour”. It's His work that's caused this to come about. It's His invitation that made us possible to be there. But notice that it said that the bride was ‘given’, or it was ‘granted to her’, or this was given to her: that she should be arrayed or clothed in fine linen, clean and white. Then it explains the construction of that. It says: “for the fine linen is the righteous acts [plural] of the saints”.
The righteous acts of us, on our earth now, are accumulated, and result in the clothing with garments of honour in the coming kingdom. The righteous acts. Notice ‘the acts’ are plural, and it's the acts of the saints; so, this has got nothing to do then, or it doesn't refer rather, to the work of Christ on the cross. These righteous acts, or these garments, are an expression of each believer's devotion to Christ, and their acts of service. So you're dealing with two distinct things now: coming to Christ, and receiving a clothing of righteous, standing before Him, by His work; and then us, after we've been positioned like that, now responding with love and gratitude, and living a life of serving Him and honouring Him - that qualifies us for rewards. It's probably the simplest way I could put it.
Our justification, that's right standing before God, is received by faith; and it's based on His work, not on our works. In Revelation 19:8, it's our ‘works’, and a reward we receive; but in Ephesians 2:8, where ‘by grace’ have you been saved through faith, that's not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, or not your works, lest anyone should boast. So the scripture Ephesians 2:8 is very clear: our salvation, being born again, coming out of sin and into right standing with God, being clothed with the righteousness, a right standing - that is totally on our trusting that Christ did all of the work necessary for this to happen at the cross. Our standing before God is based upon the work of another, and we must always build from that foundation. What Jesus did on the cross has positioned me now to be a recipient of His blessings and benefits. It says the same thing in Titus 3:4-5 – “The kindness and love of God our Saviour towards man has appeared, not by works of righteousness we've done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing, regeneration, renewing the Holy Ghost”. Notice that it’s not by any works of righteousness we have done.